Skip to main content

Apps

6,383 'Apps' stories April 2010 - May 2014
See All Stories

Learn about the latest news for iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV apps

Apps for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS power our modern world. 9to5Mac will update you on the latest news, review, and updates for all types of apps. “There’s an App for that”.

The term came became part of our vocabulary when Steve Jobs announced The App Store as part of the iPhone 2.0 software update in 2008.

Over the years, the term has become as common as kleenex for describing applications on all of our devices. Apple’s platforms have apps for just about anything from finance, banking, sports, social media, podcasting, music, and more. We have a guide for helping you discover the best ones as well. Apps are now on everything from our TV, to our smartphones, on our laptops, and all the way down to our wrists.

As new ones are released or existing ones have major updates, the team here at 9to5Mac will bring you the latest news and reviews. If you want to follow along with video footage, be sure to follow 9to5Mac on YouTube. Scroll down below our latest updates on all things relating to applications on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch.

Mini-review: Lockscreen Wallpaper Designer, the simple iPhone app for creating prettier lockscreens

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 22 2014 - 4:56 am PT
11 Comments
Site default logo image

You’d think choosing a photo to use on your iPhone lockscreen would be a pretty simple task. Scroll through your Camera Roll, choose a photo you like, hit Set and you’re done.

The reality is a little different. Half the time the photo you really want to use is landscape format (horizontal) and you need a vertical image. The iPhone will automatically crop it, and allow you to slide the image around to get a crop you like, but the result rarely does justice to the original shot.

The other half of the time, you find a portrait (vertical) photo which looks great on its own but then clashes with the clock and slide to unlock text when you set it as your lockscreen. Lockscreen Wallpaper Designer is a very simple app that aims to solve these problems … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Bubble app lets you discover real world items linked to the web w/ iBeacons

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 21 2014 - 3:28 pm PT
7 Comments
Site default logo image

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtQSJx2nI9I]

Bubble, a new app launching this week, is about to make it super easy for anyone to link real world items to websites using Apple’s new iBeacon Bluetooth LE technology. Up until now retailers, event planners, and more have been using iBeacons in order to send relevant notifications to users in proximity, but that required users to actually have that specific retailer’s app installed. Bubble, on the other hand, acts as an iBeacon browser of sorts allowing users to discover web content as they come in contact with real world items. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Apple releases Safari 7.0.4 & 6.1.4 for OS X with security improvements

Avatar for Zac Hall May 21 2014 - 1:37 pm PT
0 Comments

Alongside the release of OS X 10.9.3 and iTunes 11.2 last week, Apple released Safari version 7.0.3 and 6.1.4. Apple has since released a minor bug fix to that version of iTunes, and today Apple has released a security update to Safari bringing the latest version to 7.0.4. Users can find the latest version in the Mac App Store.

Safari 6.1.4 and Safari 7.0.4

  • WebKitAvailable for: OS X Lion v10.7.5, OS X Lion Server v10.7.5, OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5, OS X Mavericks v10.9.3Impact: Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

    Description: Multiple memory corruption issues existed in WebKit. These issues were addressed through improved memory handling.

Read Apple’s documentation on the latest version of Safari here.

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: 9 great Mac apps for ~$9 (Last Day!), Retina MacBook Pro $200 off, Incase Mac accessories up to 85% off, more

Avatar for May 21 2014 - 10:04 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:


Name Your Own Price Mac app bundle. Titles include RapidWeaver 5, TuneUp, mSecure, and 5 others.


Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro w/ Retina display 2.4 GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version) $1,100 shipped ($200 off)


MacBook/iPhone/iPad accessories from Incase up to 85% off, Case-Mate 40% off


Seagate Wireless Plus 1TB iOS/Android Storage w/ Built-In Wi-Fi Streaming $170 shipped (orig. $200)

Media: LEGO movie early iTunes release, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey preorder $30, asstd. Blu-rays $5, more


Other deals from today:


More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Facebook announces TV Show and Music ID app updates for iOS and Android

Avatar for Mark Gurman May 21 2014 - 8:49 am PT
3 Comments
Site default logo image

According to multiple sources, Facebook will unveil a new service today that can identify television shows and music playing in the background. The new software, which will be available via an updated App Store app on iPhone and a Google Play app on Android, will work in tandem with your smartphone hardware’s microphone. Facebook is said to be integrating the feature so Facebook users can more easily share what music they are listening to or what TV show they are currently watching to their Timelines. In iOS 8, Apple will unveil a new Siri feature in partnership with Shazam to identify songs playing in the background. Update: Official announcement after the break…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Spotify confirms it now has 10 million paying subscribers

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 21 2014 - 7:05 am PT
0 Comments

On the heels of the Beats acquisition that Apple is still yet to officially confirm, every music streaming service’s biggest competitor is today hoping to keep everyone interested: Spotify just announced it has increased its paid subscriber base to 10 million users from the 6 million users it reported earlier this year in March. Recode first posted the stats and also noted on top of paid customers Spotify now “has more than 40 million active users, in 56 markets around the world.”

Spotify of course has a big lead on Beats’ recently launched subscription music service, which as of latest reports has just around a couple hundred thousand paying subscribers. Also of note, there is some confusion over whether or not Beats subscriber numbers include those getting a free 90-day subscription through AT&T and subscribers getting access through a $14.99 group plan. However, it’s clear Beats early sub numbers aren’t that important to Apple’s long-term goals and its plan for the company and streaming service. Even Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek admitted to Recode “that the service has yet to break through to mainstream audiences in many markets, including the United States.”

Apple updates WWDC for iPhone and iPad with new design and conference schedule

Avatar for Zac Hall May 21 2014 - 6:51 am PT
3 Comments
Site default logo image

With WWDC less than two weeks away now, Apple has released WWDC 2.0 for iPhone and iPad today on the App Store. The update revamps the user interface to reflect the design changes introduced with iOS 7 at last year’s WWDC conference. The update also includes a new icon to reflect the design changes: from dark purple to bright orange. The update also includes the latest schedule for this year’s conference (or as much as it will reveal) so developers attending the conference will want to download and reference it soon.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Starbucks offering free iTunes download of Coldplay’s new song via iPhone app

Avatar for Chance Miller May 20 2014 - 1:26 pm PT
6 Comments

Coldplay’s highly anticipated album Ghost Stories became available in its entirety on iTunes Radio First Play last week, and was finally released to the public yesterday. Now, Starbucks is partnering with the British band to offer a free track off of the album as its Pick of the Week. By downloading and opening the Starbucks app for iOS, the opening track off of the album, “Always in My Head,” can be downloaded for absolutely free. Simply launch the app and head to the “messages” interface, in which you should have a new message offering the song for free.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 & 3 now available for Mac

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 20 2014 - 12:38 pm PT
18 Comments

A few years after hitting consoles, Aspyr announced today that it’s bringing a couple of the most popular games from the Call of Duty franchise to Mac, including: Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 as well as all DLC for both titles.

The games aren’t available in the Mac App Store, but Aspyr is making them available through Steam and its own GameAgent online store today alongside all maps packs and other DLC. SteamPlay support means you’ll be able to pick up the title up once and play it on both Mac and PC.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 picks up immediately following the historic events of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, with players facing off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. And Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 continues the series’ epic storyline with even bigger and more explosive action.

While the release is already a few titles behind the console releases, it does bring Mac gamers some great new Call of Duty content including multiplayer for both games. The games are certainly an upgrade from the last COD release to hit the Mac: 2010’s Black Ops.

Both games feature:

  • Cinematic, action-packed single player campaigns
  • Cross-platform competitive multiplayer and cooperative online play
  • Multiple DLC Packs which add new maps and other great content to the multiplayer experience
  • Steam Works integration and Steam Play support
  • And more!
Site default logo image

Amazon Cloud Drive Photos app gets revamped albums w/ large cover photos & more

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 20 2014 - 12:09 pm PT
0 Comments

Amazon updated its Cloud Drive Photos app for iOS today with a few nice new features for viewing and managing photos and video stored in the app.

The app, which offers 5GB of storage free and automatically backs up photo and video from your iOS device, now includes a revamped album view with large cover photos in addition to other new photo management features. You’ll also now see your photo as its being uploaded within the progress indicator as well as dates when transitioning between months and years while viewing photos: Swiping through photos in the single photo view now lets you know when you transition between months or years. 

Lastly, Amazon notes the app now includes a filter to sort photos by newest or oldest first.

The updated Amazon Cloud Drive Photos app is available now on the App Store.

What’s New in Version 3.1.0

– New Album View: Quickly scroll through your albums with large, beautiful cover photos for each of them
– Upload Progress: See your photos as their being uploaded to the cloud
– Know when your photos were taken: Swiping through photos in the single photo view now lets you know when you transition between months or years
– Sort your Photos: Choose to see your photos newest first or oldest first
– Bug and Crash Fixes

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: Toshiba 5TB external HD $189, Kingston MobileLite $30, Foscam wireless cams from $49, more

Avatar for May 20 2014 - 10:12 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Toshiba 5TB Canvio Black USB 3.0 Hard Drive: $189 shipped (msrp. $300)Kingston MobileLite wireless card reader/power bank for smartphones/tablets $30 w/ free Prime shipping (Reg. $60) Foscam wireless/wired Pan & Tilt network cam w/ 8 meter night vision: $49 shipped (Reg. $85), and Foscam FI9821W V2 for $85 shipped (Reg. $149) Belkin 20% sitewide coupon: Thunderbolt Express Dock w/ cable $184 (orig. $330), WeMo Insight Switch $48, more Nest Learning Thermostat 2nd Generation: $224 shipped (Reg. $250)

Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

  • ZTE is selling the Firefox OS phone direct via Ebay for $100 shipped
Site default logo image

Review: Fresco for iOS condenses the headlines to photos, stories to quick descriptions

Avatar for Sarah Guarino May 20 2014 - 8:06 am PT
1 Comment

Fresco News is a news reader app that delivers news in a whole new way by displaying informative, captivating, emotional photographs. It features content from political, sports, business, technology and entertainment news providers such as Aljazeera, BBC, Bloomberg, Boston Globe, CNN, The Guardian, Huffington Post, maskable.com, NY Post, NY Times, Reuters, Time Magazine and VICE News. Users get to scroll and flick through the images that convey the news.

Fresco presents the news in the form of a photo feed that illustrates each headline visually. Tapping a photo offers a brief description of the photo and the associated story. Tapping on it again allows you to view it in a fullscreen parallax-enabled view. You can also read the full accompanying article from a variety of news sources.

Compared to “traditional” news apps, Fresco is a helpful app that provides a practical, enjoyable news experience. For anyone who wants to stay informed of current events, the app provides a significantly less cumbersome method for getting the latest news.

Currently the photos in the feed come from professional journalism photographers, such as AP, Getty, or Reuters. In the app’s next update, the images will be a mix of professional and crowdsourced. The photo does have to be approved by the developers in order to show up in the app, but users will have the opportunity to be paid for their photos.

According to John Meyer, founder and CEO of Fresco News, when a newsworthy event takes place close to a Fresco user, they will receive a push notification informing them that they can be paid for photos of that event. The process of submitting a photo takes less than thirty seconds. Meyer is also working with news organizations to license their photos.

The next update will also contain more options for navigating within the app, allowing users to choose which feed to follow based on topic, interests, location or user.

 As an avid news consumer, I will definitely be taking advantage of this free app, and highly recommend it to other like-minded news junkies looking to get the latest headlines. You can get Fresco News from the App Store for free.

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: Nest Thermostat (2nd gen) $224, Nikon D3200 w/ Adobe LR 5 $330, iPad Air 16GB WiFi $400, more

Avatar for May 19 2014 - 10:12 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:


Readdle’s Calendars 5 for iOS is available for free for the first time ever (Reg. $7)

 

Samsung Smart HDTVs: 46-inch $427 (Reg. $750), slim 48-inch $571 (Reg. $830), 48-inch $735 (Reg. $900)

Games/Apps: Battlefield 4 $25, Logitech PowerShell iOS controller $50, 60% off Tropico titles + DLC for Mac, iOS freebies, more

REI Anniversary Sale knocks 20% off one full-price item, get a GoPro HERO3+ Black for $320 (Reg. $400)


Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

  • Home Deals: GreenWorks Li-ion cordless blower $60 (Reg. $100), Dyson DC26 Vac (refurb) $180 (Reg. $400), kitchen & patio items, more
  • Headphones: BlueAnt Embrace over ears $32 (orig. $200), Scosche RH over ears $60 (Reg. $149), Powerbeats by Dre. (refurb) $44 (Reg. $149)
  • iClever Aluminum USB 3 4A hubs: 7-port: $25, 4-port: $13 shipped AC
  • Display Deals: Dell 24″ UltraSharp $260 shipped (Reg. $350), three 23″ HP monitors $315 shipped (Reg. up to $480), HDTVs, more
  • HDTV Deals: Samsung 46″120Hz: $512, Samsung 60″: $899, Panasonic 39″ Smart TV $400, more
  • Belkin QODE Bluetooth Portable Keyboard Case for iPad mini: $35 shipped (Reg. $80)
  • uNu Aero 2,000mAh iPhone 5/5s battery case w/ wireless charging pad: $60 shipped (reg. $100)
  • Home Deals: Philips Automatic Espresso Machine $360 (Reg. $1600), KitchenAid Stand Mixer $230 (Reg. $350), more
  • Apple iPad mini 32GB WiFi (black or white): $300 shipped (orig. $429)
  • Bose OE2i On-Ear headphones w/ mic & controls $100 (orig. $180), more from Plantronics and Beyer Dynamic

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

  • ZTE is selling the Firefox OS phone direct via Ebay for $100 shipped

Facebook may try to take on Snapchat again with upcoming ‘Slingshot’ app

Avatar for Mike Beasley May 18 2014 - 6:33 pm PT
5 Comments
Site default logo image

If at first you don’t succeed…

Facebook may have recently pulled its Snapchat-like Poke app from the iOS App Store, but the social network is gearing up to take another swipe at the messaging giant later this month, according to a new claim by the Financial Times. Facebook’s new app, currently dubbed “Slingshot” interally, will enable users to send short video messages to one another.

In 2012, Facebook launched its own Snapchat rip-off called Poke, which borrowed its name from an entirely separate feature that had been available on Facebook’s website for years. When Poke failed to attract a significant number of users, Facebook forgot about it and let it sit idle for nearly three years before removing it from the App Store.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Google acquires Word Lens app recently featured in Apple’s iPhone ad “Powerful”

Avatar for Zac Hall May 16 2014 - 11:18 am PT
31 Comments
Site default logo image

Google just bought the company behind a smartphone app called Word Lens that visually translates text in real life scenarios right on your device using the camera and some behind-the-scenes intelligence.

With Word Lens, we’ve seen the beginnings of what’s possible when we harness the power of mobile devices to “see the world in your language.”

By joining Google, we can incorporate Quest Visual’s technology into Google Translate’s broad language coverage and translation capabilities in the future.

As a thank you to everybody who supported us on our journey, we’ve made both the app and the language packs free to download for a limited time while we transition to Google.

We’re looking forward to continuing our work at Google – stay tuned!

The kicker? Word Lens was recently featured rather prominently in Apple’s latest iPhone ad “Powerful” and even listed on Apple’s microsite promoting the film as an app to explore.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: GoPro HERO3+ Black $320, iPad mini 64GB WiFi $360, iPad Air 16GB WiFi $450, more

Avatar for May 16 2014 - 10:03 am PT
2 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

  • Apple iPad Air 16GB WiFi $450 shipped (Reg. $499)
  • Home Deals: GreenWorks Li-ion cordless blower $60 (Reg. $100), Dyson DC26 Vac (refurb) $180 (Reg. $400), kitchen & patio items, more

REI Anniversary Sale knocks 20% off one full-price item, get a GoPro HERO3+ Black for $320 (Reg. $400)

Daily Deals: iPad Mini 64GB Wi-Fi: $360, iClever Bluetooth Keyboard: $11, Universal Car Mount for Smart Phones: $5, more

Games/Apps: Playstation 4 500GB console $380 shipped, Aspyr Mac games from $2.50, STRATEGO $1 (Reg. $7), iOS freebies, more

Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

  • ZTE is selling the Firefox OS phone direct via Ebay for $100 shipped
Site default logo image

Flappy Bird creator teases new game in screenshot

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 15 2014 - 1:54 pm PT
5 Comments

Just a day after Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen told CNBC his hit iOS game would return to the App Store in August, today the developer is teasing a new game currently in development.

Despite reportedly confirming Flappy Bird would make a return, Nguyen’s tweet about his new game reads, “I am making a new game. So people can forget about Flappy Bird for a while.” 

There aren’t any other details on the game or a timeframe for release, but Nguyen did provide the screenshot above which appears to show similar gameplay to Flappy Bird.

Site default logo image

Apple likely allowing promo codes for in-app purchases through App Store Code Program

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 15 2014 - 1:27 pm PT
1 Comment

Up until now, Apple has limited promo codes on the App Store to app downloads and hasn’t allowed developers to offer codes for in-app purchases and Newsstand issues. However, as noted by 148apps, EA is currently offering promo codes that allow users of its Real Racing 3 iOS app to get an in-app purchase normally valued at $1.99.

While users aren’t forced to enter a promo code manually in the App Store, visiting an EA website sends users to the App Store and automatically redeems the code for the in-app content. iOS also prompts users that have not yet installed the free Real Racing 3 app to do so in order to claim the in-app purchase code.

Apple’s developer documentation for promo codes currently states “Promo codes don’t work for In-App Purchase products, including Newsstand issues,” but it has unofficially supported workarounds in the past that developers have used to offer free in-app content for promotions.

It’s also a possibility that Apple is allowing the in-app purchase codes through its App Store Code Program that offers developers the ability to run special promotions. Apple recently detailed the program in a TechTalk:

Apple uses the program to let developers offer, for example, more than the usual 100 promo codes per app version and EA has used the program for several promotions in the past.

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: Belkin iPad mini keyboard case $35, Mpow dual USB charger $7, HDTVs, more

Avatar for May 15 2014 - 12:46 pm PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Belkin QODE Bluetooth Portable Keyboard Case for iPad mini: $35 shipped (Reg. $80)

 

Mpow 4.2 Amps 20W Dual USB Port Car Charger $7 (Reg. $16)


Other deals from today:

  • New! HDTV Deals: Samsung 46″120Hz: $512, Samsung 60″: $899, Panasonic 39″ Smart TV $400, more
  • New! Games/Apps: Call of Duty Ghosts $25 shipped, Pro Cam 2 & Tap the Frog go FREE, 50% off Classics, more iOS freebies
  • New! 1 year magazine subs w/ digital access: Macworld $7.50, GQ $5, ESPN $5, more
  • New! Daily Deals: iPad Mini: $220, 128GB USB Stick: $36, ZAGGKeys iPad keyboard case: $25, BT Shower Speaker: $15, iPods, more

More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

  • Samsung Galaxy Rush on Boost Mobile +$50 Best Buy Gift Card: $50 shipped
  • ZTE is selling the Firefox OS phone direct via Ebay for $100 shipped

Apple updates Podcasts iOS app w/ Siri support, CarPlay, improved episode browsing, more

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 15 2014 - 11:31 am PT
13 Comments
Site default logo image

In addition to the release of OS X 10.9.3 alongside updates to iTunes and iTunes Connect, Apple today released version 2.1 of its Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad.

Notably, the app now adds support for Siri, allowing users to ask Siri to “play podcasts” or play specific podcasts using commands like “Play TedTalks.” Apple also notes that many enhancements have been made to navigation to improve episode browsing in the app:

• Quickly find episodes you haven’t listened to in the new Unplayed tab
• Browse episodes that are available to download or stream in the Feed tab
• Save your favorite episodes to keep them offline
• Episodes can now be automatically deleted after you play them
• Tap on links that appear in podcast and episode descriptions to open them in Safari

Apple is also including support for its new CarPlay feature in the updated app, which is debuting in select vehicles and aftermarket systems this year. In addition, you’ll find other tweaks and improvements to navigation in version 2.1.The updated Podcasts app is available on the App Store now and a full list of what’s new is below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Apple finally redesigns iTunes Connect for iOS 7

Avatar for Zac Hall May 15 2014 - 11:25 am PT
2 Comments

 

In addition to a series of other software updates today (Podcasts, OS X, Safari, iTunes), Apple has finally released a redesigned version of the iTunes Connect utility for developers via the App Store.

What’s New in Version 3.0

iTunes Connect has been completely redesigned to make it even easier to manage your products. In addition, you can now use the iTunes Connect app to access the music, movies, and TV shows you have made available on the iTunes Store.

The update is available for free on the App Store now.

Site default logo image

Hitman Absolution – Elite Edition now available for Mac

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 15 2014 - 11:06 am PT
4 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-0yI9ch0kw]

Hitman Absolution, the latest full-length installment in IO Interactive’s popular Hitman franchise, is today arriving for Mac users as a download on the Mac App Store and elsewhere.

Become Agent 47, a genetically-engineered killer, and use your skill and ingenuity to turn assassination into an art. With extraordinary reflexes, creative stealth techniques and a powerful arsenal of weapons at your fingertips, pulling off the perfect hit has never been so much fun.

The release is the “Elite Edition,” which means you’ll also get all previously released add-on content that has been released since the game first hit game consoles in 2012.

The game is available to download on the Mac App Store now for $28.99. A Steam Play compatible version of the game is also available for $25 from Feral Interactive’s website and Steam.

Earlier this year Square Enix released a turn-based strategy version of Hitman for the iOS devices.

More Mac and iOS game deals over at 9to5Toys